Sorting and classifying device



Sept. 7,, i937.

H. A. WRIGHT SQRTING AND CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed Au .Fzverztaz flhroZaiALWra' izt;

Ays.

Patented Sept. 7, 1937 ATENT orrics SORTING AND' otAssi't YINGp vmE 7 Harold A. ,wriglit liewton, Mass assignor rthur W. Brooks,,doing biisiness under the iian'ie and Style of Multisdrtlcoihpaiiy,

Mass.

Boste Application August-14,- 1934, Serial s... 739,764 I l 10 claims. (Cl ."1ll413 5),

This invention relates to an improvement .in sorting and classifying devices for use in'classi-. fying-sales slips, letters, circularspand the like,

in alphabetical, numerical. or other arrangements;

The principal objects o'f the invention are to provide a reciprocal carriage and a base or track therefor, which is of simple design, of light weight and of strong and rigid construction',-,em.- bodying a minimum number ofparts, and which is. economical to' manufacture and easyto assemble; to provide a carriage and base of' the aforesaid type which is noiseless and vibrationless in operation and which maybe moved from one position to another with great ease and without the necessity of employing parts requiring lubrication; and to provide a carriage and base.

which may be moved bodily from one placeto another without dismembering the parts .and which maybe subjected to hard usage .withoutdanger of deranging or injuring the parts.

'Further objects relate to theconstruction of my improved device and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description an the accompanying drawing, wherein; i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts; broken away and shown in section, of a, sorting and classifying device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation-of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentaryside elevations, with parts broken away and shown in section, of the device shown in Fig. 1, thecarriage being shown in difierent positionsrelative to thebase or track; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are top plan views "showing the carriage at different positions. on the base" or.

track;

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration. comprises a base member 3 which supports a carriage or carrier 5 for reciprocatory movement, and a classifying container or tray 8 disposed on the carriage 5' and movable therewith. The classifying container may be of the usual'type for sorting and classifying sales slips, letters, cards, circulars and the like; such, for example, as is shown in Letters Patent No. 1,931,785; granted to me'on October 24, 1933; to which reference may beha'd for a. more complete description;

The base memberis preferably of sheetmetal construction having parts shaped and arranged to provide elongate tracks and to this end may comprise a pair of angle irons l0 and H which Ball bearing members 50, 5|

ports which hold the angle irons l0 and H. in

spaced relation to the top of a bench, desk or table [4 upon which the device may be supev ported: The under and it maybe provided with suitable cushioning material such as a. layer of 7 soft rubber I5, sothat the base will not scar the surface of the table. The angle irons Ill and II, provide a pair of spaced lower, tracks, each having upwardly projecting lateral: retaining railsor flanges 22 and 2-3, as shown. in Figs; 2 to 4. The ends of each: track are provided with upwardly bent lugs 2mm 25 (Fig. 2:);which provide stops and each of the tracks also provided with spaced center stops 21-1 and-2,8 (Fig. 1) disposed on each side of their transverse center.

The carriage is 1 preferably .of sheet, metal com struction having parts constructed and arranged to provide-upper traeks'and tothisend may; comprise a pair of channel irons 30 and M which provide upper rails or'tracks in superposed spaced re lation to the lower tracks I0 and l l,'their intermediate web portions'providing depending lateral rails or flanges '36 and 31 which are disposed in spaced relation to the retaining flanges 22 and 23 of the lower tracks l0 and H, as shown in Figs. 2 toe, and define therewith apair of. elongate channels betweeni theinterfltting, parts of the carriage and base The lower flanges 34. and 35- of the carriage preferablyunderlie the lower tracks .ID and shown in Fig, 2, andthus prevent the carriage from being lifted bodily from the base. ,Each endof the upper tracl; downwardly bent lugs lfl, anddl iFig Z) which provide stops which cooperate with the center stops 2'! and 28 to limit the movement oithe carriage.,The distance between the end stops on the front of the carriage and base, and the center stops 2 1 is equal to that betwe-en'the corresponding'sto'ps'on the rear of the carriage and base, and

the center stops28, tl'iusequalizing the forward and'rearward movement of the carriage. 'fIf desired, the upper surface of tracks 3D and 3| may be providedwith cushioning material such as layers of soft rubber arena 43 on which the supporting flanges 44 and' lt of the classifying container 8 may be mounted.

are disposed in each of the channels between the Eupper and low era-tracks, each of the surfaceof the crossbars l2 H,-- respectively, of the base, ,as

balls'preferably beingof 3 ll ,and13| is provided with I hardened steel having a diameter conforming substantially to the distance between the lateral retaining flanges 22, 36 and 23, 31. As herein shown, a pair of ball bearing members is disment with the retaining flanges 22, 36 and 23,"

37, they maintain the interfitting parts of the carriage and base members in spaced relationship, thus preventing binding and lateral play, and insuring a smooth, noiseless and vibrationless operation of the carriage. As the balls 50, 5| are movable fixed distances along the tracks I!) and H, the front balls 50 are normally maintained equal distances from the rear balls 5i, and hence at all times provide a four-point support forthe carriage regardless of its position relative to the base.

The movement of the carriage to either an extreme forward or rearward position, as indicated by the broken lines of Figs. 5 and 6 automatically maintains the normal position of the balls relative to each other, as it will be noted that when the carriage is moved to its extreme forward position (indicated by the broken lines of Fig. 6) the balls 5| are held between the rear stops 40, 4! and the center stops 28 (Fig. 3), and the forward movement of the balls 50 is limited by the front stops 24 and 25; and when the carriage is moved to its extreme rearward position (as indicated by the broken lines of Fig.

5) the relative positions of the balls and stops 7 are reversed. Hence, even though the balls become displaced within the channels, movement of the carriage back and forth causes them to a return to their normal positions, thus maintaining an even balance of the carriage in all positions.

Furthermore, due to the fact that the engagement between the balls and the tracks and re taining flanges is merely a point contact, there is little, if any, frictional resistance and hence there is no necessity of lubricating the moving parts in order to insure a smooth and noiseless operation of the carriage.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the present invention it should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in sorting and classifyposed on said tracks and freely movable from one position to another, a carriage supported on said balls for 'reciprocatory movement along said of the invention as set a carriage supported on said balls for reciprocatory movement along said tracks. 4. Apparatus foxy-use in sorting and. classifying sales slips,1etters,circulars, etc., which comprises a base member having means defining a pair of spaced tracks, a plurality of balls disposed on said tracks and freely movable from one position to another, and a carriage supported on said balls for r'eciprocatory movement along .said tracks, said carriage having parts disposed in' interfitting relation to said base member and operative to retain said carriage in operating position.

.5. Apparatusfor use in sorting and classifying sales slips; letters, circulars, etc., which comprises a pair of elongate members having spaced interfitting parts defining an elongate'channel, a plurality of balls disposed in said channel, said balls normally being spaced from each other and freely movable from one position to another, said balls maintaining said parts in spaced relation and supporting one of said members for reciprocatory movement relative to the other.

6. Apparatus for use in sorting and classifying sales slips, letters, circulars, etc., which comprises a pair of elongate members having spaced interfitting parts defining an elongate channel, one of said members constituting a base and the other member constituting a carriage adapted to re ceive a classifying container, a plurality of balls disposed in said channel, said balls normally being spaced from each other and freely movable from one position to another, said balls maintaining said parts in spaced relation and supporting the carriage member for reciprocatory movement relative to the base member.

7. Apparatus for use in sorting and classifying sales slips,.letters, circulars, etc., which comprises a pair of elongate members having complementary parts which define an elongate channel, a plurality of balls disposed in said channel, said balls normally being spaced from each other and freely movable from one position to another, said balls maintaining said complementary parts in spaced relation and supporting one of said members for reciprocatory movement relative to the other.

8. Apparatus for use in sorting and classifying sales slips, letters, circulars, etc., which comprises a base having an elongate surface providing a lower track, a carriage in superposed relation to said base and having an elongate surface corresponding to the surface of said base and providing an upper track, said surfaces defining an elongate channel, and a plurality of balls disposed in said channel in spaced relation to each other, said balls being freely movable along said tracks and operative to support said carriage for reciprocatory movement relative to said base.

9. Apparatus for use in sorting and classifying sales slips, letters, circulars, etc., which comprises a sheet metal base having parts shaped and arranged to provide an elongate lowertrack and a lateral retaining flange, a carriage of sheet metal arranged in superposed relation to said base, said carriage havingparts shaped and arranged to provide an upper track and a lateral retaining flange, a plurality of balls interposed between said upper and lower tracks and said lateral retaining flanges, said balls supporting said carriage for reciprocatory movement relative to said base.

10. Apparatus for use in sorting and classifying sales slips, letters, circulars, etc., which comprises a base member including a pair of spaced angle irons providing a pair of lower tracks each hav- 10 ing an upwardly projecting retaining flange; a

carriage in superposed relation to said base, said carriage having a pair of spaced angle irons providing a pair of upper tracks each having a depending lateral flange spaced from the corresponding flange of the lower tracks and a plurality of balls interposed between said upper and lower tracks and the lateral flanges, said balls supporting said carriage for reciprocatory movement relative to said base.

HAROLD A. WRIGHT. 

